Air Caraibes to be First 10-abreast A350 Customer

Airbus confirmed this week at the Dubai Air Show that it has a customer for the “Budget Economy” product on its A350XWB aircraft. That means 10-across seating will be flying on the A350 a couple years hence. Mark Pearman-Wright, Head of Corporate & Investor Marketing Customer Affairs, confirmed in an interview at the show that a European leisure-market carrier has ordered the dense layout for its pending orders. Based on a review of the open order book this almost certainly indicates that Air Caraïbes will be that customer. Air Caraïbes has six A350s on order with deliveries initially expected for 2016 but more likely 2017. The French airline currently flies A330s in a 9-abreast layout; going 10-across on the A350 is not too surprising in that context.